


Day 026

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [26]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22426534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 2





	Day 026

Octavios Filicitus hadn’t slept the night before, he was to… excited seemed too morbid a word but Octavios couldn’t think of a better one. Today was the day he had been preparing for for the past two years. Today he would avenge his father’s murder. Beside him were the two elite bodyguards he had brought from Tevinter. The half dozen Tantervale mercenaries were lying in wait up ahead. The two weeks it had taken to find mercenaries willing to take this job had been agonizing but he would not allow his own impatience to be his undoing. On this day, everything had to be perfect. 

He watched the beach approach carefully, his informant said that Hawke and a small entourage would be coming this way. The informant also said his was a fool’s quest and that he should go home, vengeance unfulfilled. She had underestimated his power, and had paid for that with her life. 

As Hawke approached, Octavios stepped into the path, his guards flanking him and blocking the way forwards. The Tantervale mercenaries would be moving to block the way back. Perhaps it would have been better to attack from surprise but Octavios would allow himself this one concession to vanity. The honour of his family demanded it.

“Hello,” he called out. “My name is Octavios Filicitus. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

Octavios has practiced that line over and over for the past two years. He had often wondered how Hawke would react. With fear at his impending death? With the anger of a petulant child in the face of consequence? Would he throw up a false bravado? What Octavios has not expected was for his target to break down into tears.

“Hawke?” The woman at the front of the group put herself between Hawke and Octavios. She glanced back nervously. “This isn’t the time.”

“But I killed his father!” Hawke said between sobs. “He must be so sad!”

The guards beside Octavios shifted uncomfortably at the display of raw emotion.

“I feel not sorrow,” Octavios declared, “but a burning call to vengeance.”

“See,” said Hawke’s dwarf companion, “He’s not sad. And I bet his father was a real asshole too.”

“My father was the most noble man I have ever known,” Octavios said. He wanted to signal the attack but honour demanded he make his enemies respect the name Filicitus first. “House Filicitus is a proud and well respected Altus family.”

“Filicitus sounds Tevene,” said the last of Hawke companions, a blond mage with a goat of feathers. “His father was probably slaver scum, we did Kirkwall a favour by killing him.”

“The slave trade is the backbone of Tevinter,” Octavios protested. “Our family earned a reputation for providing quality stock to the magisterium.”

“He was probably part of one of those slaver raiding parties we fought a few years back,” the woman said. Hawke had stopped sobbing by now and wiped his tears and snot on his sleeve.

“Please go away,” he said. “I know what it’s like to have someone kill your parent and it’s really awful. I know you think killing me will make it hurt less but it won’t. It really won’t.”

“My vengeance will not be denied!” Octavios bellowed. “I have thought of nothing else these last two years.” He signaled his men to attack, putting up a barrier between himself and Hawke‘s companions. Octavian realized too late that the dwarf had disappeared during the conversation. There click and twang off a crossbow was all the warning he got before his guards dropped, riddled in the back by a half dozen bolts. Where there more archer behind them?

The Tantervale mercenaries broke cover and were immediately engulfed by flames shot by Hawke and his mage companion. Their mistake was not killing him first. Octavios Filicitus might die today, but he would be blighted if he didn’t take Hawke with him. He focused his energy creating a focused ball of energy that would explode and toss his enemies like leaves in the wind.

The feeling of cold metal striking his face was a surprise that broke both his concentration and his nose. The woman stepped on his hand with an armored foot, preventing him from using his staff. He opened his mouth to curse at her, but she brought her axe down on his head before he finished drawing in his last breath.


End file.
